Utes take series from San Diego State
April 15, 2007
SALT LAKE CITY - University of Utah catcher Jesse Shriner is apparently the right guy to have at the plate when the Utes need a walk-off hit. Sunday afternoon -- for the third time in the last two weeks -- Shriner came through with a game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth, lifting Utah to a 9-8 win over San Diego State at Franklin Covey Field.
With the contest knotted at 8-8, Ute first baseman Jay Brossman led off the ninth with a sharp single to center off Aztec closer Stephen Strasburger. A walk from left fielder Nick Lowery, a sacrifice bunt by right fielder John Welsh and an intentional walk to designated hitter Bret Baldwin loaded the bases and set up Shriner's heroics. After taking strike one and swinging through strike two, Shriner smacked an 0-2 offering into right field, plating Brossman with the game-winning run.
Shriner wouldn't have been in position to come up with another dramatic finish for the Utes had it not been for some clutch pitching from relievers Chad Cullers and Brett Bruneel and some timely hitting in the sixth and seventh. Cullers took over for starter Brad DeVore in the fifth inning with Utah trailing 5-4.
In the sixth, Cullers made one big mistake and SDSU (22-17, 7-5 MWC) made him pay for it. With two on and two out, Aztec right fielder Frank LoNigro hammered a 2-2 offering from Cullers more than 400 feet to left field for a three-run homer. LoNigro's dinger gave San Diego State an 8-4 advantage.
Utah (16-19, 5-4 MWC) got those three runs runs back in the bottom of the frame. Baldwin and Shriner led off the inning with back-to-back singles and third baseman Erich Kemp loaded the bases with a walk. Center fielder Nate Burnham drove Baldwin in from third by beating out a double-play ball. SDSU then brought in left-handed reliever Lance Sewell to face Corey Shimada, Utah's left-handed hitting second baseman. Shimada worked the count full, then smoked a triple down the right-field line to score Shriner and Burnham and pull the Utes within one, 8-7.
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In the top of the seventh, Cullers allowed back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. With runners at the corners, Cullers struck out Cameron Johnson and Matt Parker. He got out of the jam by getting Troy Hanzawa to pop up. In the bottom of the inning, Utah left fielder Dustin Hennis and Welsh led off with back-to-back singles to put runners at the corners. Baldwin then laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt, with allowed pinch-runner Nick Lowery to score and tie the game at 8-8.
Cullers and Strasburg each held the opposition scoreless in the eighth. That brought Bruneel out of the bullpen for Utah in the ninth. He struck out Brian Lucas to begin the frame and then got Green to fly out and Johnson bounced a ball harmlessly back to Bruneel for three quick outs. That set up the Ute offense and Shriner's heroics in the ninth.
Bruneel (3-2) picked up the victory for Utah, while Strasburger (1-1) suffered the loss for the Aztecs. Shimada and Shriner were both 3-for-5 to lead Utah's 14-hit attack. Shimada and Shriner each drove in a pair of runs and scored one each. Baldwin was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two runs driven in for the Utes as well. Joe Spiers was 3-for-4 with three runs scored to pace San Diego State's offense.
Sunday's victory gave Utah a 2-1 series win. San Diego State took Friday's game, before the Utes came back to pick up one-run wins on the weekend. Utah is back in action again Tuesday night at Utah Valley State. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. in Orem, Utah.
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